2017 UnitardZ Football League Season
'''The 2017 UnitardZ Football League season, '''the 4th season in the history of the UnitardZ Football League (UFL) began on July 19, 2017, with the Tampa Silverstars, one of the four expansion teams inducted into the league before the start of the season, defeating the Los Angeles Bolts 23-38 on the opening episode of UFL Wednesday Night Football. The season ended on November 4, 2017 with the fourth Spalding Ball game; where the Atlantic Conference Champions, the Connecticut Stampede defeated the Pacific Conference Champions and defending Spalding Ball Champions, the Vegas Demons 48-41. Expansion from 12 to 16 teams, and name changes Midway through the 2016 UFL season, the league announced that there would be four expansion teams starting operations going into the 2017 UFL season, those teams being placed into the Atlantic and Pacific Conferences. After week two of the regular season; the UFL announced that Orlando would be the first city to attain rights to a UFL team, which would ultimately become the Orlando Crusaders. The following week, Detroit was granted a UFL team, ultimately becoming the Detroit Stingers. After week five, the league announced that Tampa would also receive a team, the Tampa Silverstars, thus making Florida the only state in the league to receive two teams in the same state. After the conclusion of week six, the league announced that Vancouver would receive an expansion team under American football rules, which would eventually become the Vancouver Outlaws. The Stingers and Crusaders would be placed into the Atlantic Conference, while the Silverstars and the Outlaws were placed into the Pacific Conference. Also in the offseason, the defending Spalding Ball champions, the Vegas Raiders, changed their name to the Vegas Demons in light of the NFL's Oakland Raiders moving to the city, therefor would share the same name. The Chicago Steam would also change their name to the Eagles, and would relocate to St. Louis after the departure of the NFL's Rams to Los Angeles. Player Movements and Retirements Free Agency Left Tackle Tyron Smith officially departed from the Texas Watchmen to the Vancouver Outlaws, making him the first player in the UFL's short history to move to an expansion team via free agency. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk left the Baltimore Capitals and officially signed with the Vegas Demons, the previous years Spalding Ball champions. Wide Receiver T.Y Hilton departed the Vancouver Outlaws, who had signed him in the expansion draft, and officially used a leverage clause to apply for Free Agency, choosing to sign with the Los Angeles Bolts. Halfback Giovanni Bernard departed from the Cincinnati Lynx, to sign with the Detroit Stingers, officially becoming a key piece of the expansion team's plans for the year. Right Outside Linebacker Lavonte David left the Tampa Silverstars, who he had been signed to in the expansion draft via a leverage, and signed with the Orlando Crusaders, becoming a part of their history making inaugural season. However; the Tampa Silverstars would not be short-changed, as Halfback Latavius Murray left the defending Spalding Ball champion Vegas Demons, and officially signed with the Silverstars later that week. Halfback Chris Simms III would be officially released by the Tampa Silverstars after a trade failed to be found, and he later signed with the Cincinnati Lynx. Quarterback Brock Osweiler, who started for the Connecticut Stampede in the season previous while starting Quarterback Zachary Serra was injured for the season with a torn ACL. Brock Osweiler officially signed with the Arizona Copperheads to become the backup quarterback for the Copperheads. However; the Stampede would grab a new backup quarterback in the same free agency period, as Orlando Crusders starting Quarterback Robert Griffin III would sign with the Connecticut Stampede later that day. Middle Line Backer Bernardrick McKinney would then also leave the Connecticut Stampede, and would later sign with the Baltimore Capitals, and that would conclude their free agency period. Coaching Changes Atlantic Conference: The St. Louis Eagles (then Chicago Steam) fired head coach Barry West, and hired head coach Nate Ranger. The Detroit Stingers (expansion team) hired head coach Matthew Richards. The Orlando Crusaders (expansion team) hired former Kansas City Core head coach Thomas Clarke. Pacific Conference: The Vancouver Outlaws (expansion team) hired former UFL player Rex Lewman of the former Vegas Raiders franchise to be the new head coach of the team. The Tampa Silverstars (expansion team) hired head coach Shane Daniels, former head coach of the DSFL version of the St. Louis Rams. Stadium Changes St. Louis Eagles (relocation) - moved from Soldier Field to the Edward Jones Dome. Detroit Stingers (expansion) - began play in a renovated and downsized Pontiac Stadium while their new stadium is being built. Orlando Crusaders, Tampa Silverstars (expansion) - began play in Camping World Stadium as a joint-host. Vancouver Outlaws (expansion) - began play in BC Place in Canada, becoming the league's first international franchise. 2017 UFL Draft 2017 End of Season Awards 2017 UFL Playoffs New Playoff Format: The new format allowed for five teams from each conference to enter post season play. One wildcard game for each conference between the fourth and fifth best teams, with the winners playing the top seed the following week in the new Divisional Round. The top seed would play the Wildcard winner, while the second seed would host the third seed. The Conference Championship game would be played between the two winners from the previous week, with the Spalding Ball being played between the winners of each conference championship game in the Atlantic Conference and Pacific Conference. Wildcard Round: The Atlantic Conference hosted home to the visiting Baltimore Capitals playing the New York Sentinels in the wildcard round of the playoffs, with the Sentinels winning the game on a winning drive 23-17. The Pacific Conference then hosted home to the Tampa Silverstars visiting the Cincinnati Lynx, with the Lynx defeating the Silverstars in a nail-biter 24-23. Divisional Round: The Pacific Conference saw the Cincinnati Lynx visit the defending-Spalding Ball champion Vegas Demons, with the Demons handing out the biggest loss in league history, 60-0. The New York Sentinels then visited the Orlando Crusaders, with the Crusaders winning the game 26-20. The following day, the Pacific Conference would see the two-seeded Arizona Copperheads defeat the Seattle Avengers 57-24. Later that day, the Atlantic Conference would see the two-seeded Connecticut Stampede defeat the Atlanta Bravehearts 34-10. This would bring the league to the final four teams contending for that year's Spalding Ball Championship game. Conference Championship Week: The Pacific Conference Championship game was contested in Las Vegas, Nevada; with the Vegas Demons defeating the Arizona Copperheads 38-10. The Atlantic Conference Championship game was contested in Orlando, Florida; with the Connecticut Stampede defeating the Orlando Crusaders 37-34 after a game winning field goal was hit with 0:03 left by Stampede kicker Nicholas Novak. Spalding Ball 4: The fourth Spalding Ball Championship game took place on November 4, 2017 at 7:00 PM eastern time, between the defending Pacific Conference Champion Vegas Demons, and the defending Atlantic Conference Champion Connecticut Stampede. After leading 21-3 at halftime, both teams started on a shootout, with Connecticut winning 48-41 after a game winning interception. This game would officially mark the end of the 2017 UnitardZ Football League season.